Doom

The Good
Doom, as everyone knows, was not the first game of its kind. Neither was Donkey Kong. But they managed to change the way people looked at games. Needless to say, Doom caused a lot more controversy due to its theme and explicit use of graphical violence. However this is a game that managed to capture almost everyone who ever touched the keyboard or controller to give it a try. How could a game with cartoon-like demons, shotguns and chainsaws manage to enthrall young and old alike, men and women, veteran gamers and people who never even played a game before?

The answer is simple: adrenaline, atmosphere and masterful game design. Simplicity and elegance. Speed and rhythm. Blasting away like a madman and spending long hours searching for that one, elusive secret chamber... Maneuvering into the proper position so that the demons accidentally shoot one another and then start fighting amongst themselves. Cleverly using doors, walkways, grates, health items, armour, protective gear and ammo so that you don't end up as Imp fodder. Surviving against overwhelming odds. That is Doom.

This game was even more important because it single-handedly started Internet multiplayer gaming on a massive scale, a fact that most people here seem to ignore. The graphics pushed PCs to their absolute limits, sound was superb and the MIDI soundtrack is among the best ever composed. Level design is fit for academic analysis and there hasn't been a better shotgun in a game ever since (apart from the super-shotgun in Doom II). Finally, it seems almost incomprehensible but id somehow managed to make creatures with a mostly basic AI sneak up on you! It took several years until another FPS managed to capture me with its atmosphere and the next one that actually scared me was Aliens Vs Predator, whole years later.

The Bad
What?

The Bottom Line
There are some people who think they know something about games and judge Doom with today's standards. Well, that is just not valid or objective. One cannot judge for instance Fritz Lang's Metropolis, comparing it to The Matrix. Violence and demons as a subject matter cannot condemn a game if it manages to turn it into a totally immersive and fun experience. I've seen mature people and women, target groups not really addicted to violence or gaming for its own sake wade through level after level of Doom without a pause. My own girlfriend played Doom fanatically (and still does occasionally) but hasn't touched another FPS since. And that is an all too common occurrence. So it's not violence that drew people to this game and whoever judges it in this manner is really being superficial. Doom represents a very important piece of gaming history. Accept if. Play it.